Firearm



Jan. 11, 1955 J. D. T LER 2,699,008

FIREARM Filed Aug. 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. J. D. TYLER ATTORNEY Jan. 11, 1955 J. D. TYLER 2,699,008

FIREARM Filed Aug. 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 105 my 55 104 I03 I02 24 1e 23 27 2s 9s 98 I00 96 I4 1 as 5 l9 Q I0 44 W i e) 2 o6 77 88.1 76 34 39 4o 43 832 3 e4 1 2 5 8 l6 8 2 s9 so 54 P, I 49 48 s- 7 89 8| 2 I! INVENTOR. J. D. TYLER IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA ATTORNEY United States This invention relates to firearms and more particularly to those in which the projectile and explosive charge are separately introduced in loading.

Separately loaded firearms have become relatively rare and little employed due to various usually inherent disadvantages such as the time required for loading, the difiiculty of obtaining consistency of the charge, and the loss of firing power. Except for relics, firearms of this type have been almost entirely replaced by those which are adapted to fire the conventional type cartridge which consists of a shell having a primer at its base and a projectile at its forward portion with a charge within the shell between the two.

Various disadvantages accompany the use of conventional cartridges, such as the added expense of the shell and the primer, together with that of assembling the parts, the added weight, and the limited capacity of the magazines of the various firearms. Furthermore, inasmuch as the shell contains compressed powder and a relatively sensitive primer, the dangers accompanying its storage, transportation and handling have been great.

Accordingly, it is an obiect of the present invention to provide a firearm adapted to fire separate loading ammuntion in which the disadvantages accompanying separately loading firearms heretofore known are met and in which those accompanying the use of conventional cartridges are obviated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a firearm which is adapted to hold a plurality of projectiles and charges separately and to fire the same semiautomatically.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a firearm having means for automatically positioning a projectile and a charge into firing position and firing the charge against the projectile.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a semi-automatic firearm adapted to fire separately loaded ammunition, which is simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, of a minimum number of parts, and which is sturdy and constructed to withstand rough usage.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is an elevation of the left side of a firearm constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary elevation showing a portion of the right side;

Fig. 3, a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a longitudinal fragmentary section of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5, a longitudinal section showing the positioning of the trigger mechanism just before and just after Fig. 6, an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through the firing block;

Fig. 7, a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8, a section on the line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9, a fragmentary section of a modified form of firing bolt;

Fig. 10, the structure of Fig. 9 in firing position;

Fig. 11, a fragmentary longitudinal section of a further modification of the firing bolt;

Fig. 12, a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the bolt in firing position; and,

Fig. 13, a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. ll.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention shown is a firearm of the pistol type and it is understood that the specific construction shown is merely illustrative of one embodiment by which the principles of the invention may be carried out.

The pistol includes a receiver 10 having a grip or stock 11. The receiver includes left and right side members or face plates 12 and 13, the latter of which has a top and back portion 14. The front ends of the face plates have offset portions 14' to box in the front of the receiver. Shaped to conform to the contour of the rear and bottom of the grip is a back cover strip 15 having an arm 16 pivotally mounted on a post 17 which extends between the face plates 12 and 13.

The firing block Attached to the face plates by suitable connecting means such as pins 18 and bolts 19 is a substantially rectangular firing or breech block 23. The block has a first transverse bore 24 near its upper portion which is enlarged near its forward extremity to receive a barrel 25 through which a projectile is adapted to be discharged. The rear portion 27 of the bore is enlarged and partially covered by a transverse web or firing anvil 28 positioned thereacross near the opening but spaced slightly therefrom for purposes later to be described.

A second bore 30 extends transversely of the first bore and in communication therewith so that their axes intersect substantially at the central portion of the first bore. The second bore does not extend completely through the firing block but stops short of the top thereof.

A third bore 32 extends from the forward portion of the firing block into communication with the second bore and has an enlarged forward portion 33 for the reception of the rear extremity of a magazine barrel 34 whose bore 35 communicates with the bore 32. The barrels 25 and 34 extend through mating arcuate notches 36 and 37 respectively in the offset portions 14 of the faceplates 12 and 13. The magazine barrel 34 is adapted to hold a plurality of shot or projectiles 38 and has a longitudinally extending slot 39 at its lower portion which communicates with an enlarged arcuate slot 40 near the end of the barrel. Positioned in the barrel is a follower 41 having a handle 42 extending through the slot 39 and a compression spring 43 which abuts against the follower at one end and against a pin 44 at the free end of the barrel. To load the barrel the follower is moved toward the free end of the barrel to expose the arcuate slot 40 and projectiles are then placed in the barrel through the slot. When the follower is released the spring 43 will urge the projectiles into the bore 33 of the firing block 30.

The trigger mechanism Pivotally attached to the forward portion of the receiver between the face plates 12 and 13 is a trigger 46 consisting of a substantially L-shaped member having a lower triangularly shaped finger engaging portion 47 and an arm 48 at its upper portion through the end of which a post 49 extends and is engaged by the face plates 12 and 13 so that the trigger may be oscillated about the post. The trigger is comprised of integral side plates 50 forming the portions 47 and 43 and has webs 51 and 52 connecting the side plates. The arm 48 of the trigger has a slot 54 extending through the web in substantial alignment with bore 30 of the firing block when Elie 1irigger is oscillated to position adjacent the firing A loading rod 55 having an aperture 56 adapted to receive a projectile is positioned within the bore 30 of the block and adapted to reciprocate in the bore. The bore 56 in the rod is adapted when in its lower position as shown in Fig. 3 to receive a projectile and to move the same into registration with the bore 24 of the firing block when in its upper position as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The bore 56 at its forward portion is preferably a few thousandths of an inch greater in diameter than that of the barrel 25 and the bore 24 of the firing block in order that a projectile may feed easily into the firing rod from the magazine barrel.

As a means for preventing accidental gravity discharge of the projectile, the depth of the bore 30 is slightly greater than is necessary for the bore 56 in the firing rod to be aligned with the bore 24 of the firing block. By means of this construction when the firing rod is fully seated in the bore 30 the projectile will be slightly out of alignment with the bore 24 of the firing block which will provide a positive impediment to its discharge through the barrel. This alignment is of necessity very slight, on the order of a few thousandths of an inch in order that the projectile may bear against the upper portion of the bore 24 where it meets the bore 56 and cam the firing rod downwardly sufficiently to align the bores when the charge is fired.

The rear of the bore 56 is of substantially less diameter than its forward portion and the connecting surfaces 58 are tapered or conical to conform to the surface of the projectile in contact therewith in order that an explosive charge received through the smaller portion of the bore may act efiiciently on the projectile, and to limit the capacity of the rod.

The lower end of the rod 55 has a longitudinal slot 59, a pair of spaced pins 60 and 61 bridging the slot; the pin 60 extending into engagement with guide and limit slots 20 and 21 in the face plates 12 and 13 respectively. A coil spring 62 is positioned around the post 49 and has a short leg 63 engaging the web 52 of the trigger near its free upper end and a long leg 64 extending between the spaced pins 69 and 61 of the rod. It can be seen therefore that the depression of the trigger 46 rotates the same about the post 49 and by means of the arm 64 abutting the pin 61, the spring member is adapted to move the rod 55 into the bore 30 of the firing block. The bore 56 is spaced from the extremity of the rod which it is near such that when the rod is in its innermost position in the bore 30 that the bore 56 will be substantially concentric with the bore 24. The length of the rod 55 is such that it will be at the full depth of the bore 30 when pin 60 contacts the upper extremity of the slots 20 and 21.

A tape guide member 70 having a foot portion 71 and a depending portion 72 is attached by its foot portion to the under side of the firing block 23 such that its substantially fiat depending portion 72 extends in the plane of the rear face of the firing block. The end of the depending portion may be curved as shown in order to offer less resistance to the movement of tape. The foot 71 has an aperture 72 the same size as and in alignment with bore 30 of the firing block to permit reciprocation of the loading rod 55 in the firing block.

An L-shaped actuating lever 75 comprising side members 76 connected by a web 77 is positioned in the receiver with the short leg of the L substantially in the lowermost portion of the grip and extending rearwardly thereof and with its long arm extending substantially to the top of the receiver. At approximately the intersection of the arms and adjacent the lower forward portion of the grip is a pivot post 79 for the lever 75 which post extends through the side members 76 of the lever and through the face plates of the receiver to which it is fastened by suitable means 78. A pair of spaced pins 80 and 81 extend between the side plates of the lever 75 and are spaced slightly above the center of the longer arm, the pin 80 being nearer the rearward edge and the pin 81 being nearer the web 77. A pin 82 extends between the side plates 50 of the trigger 46 near the rear apex of the triangular portion. Pivotally mounted on the pin is a feed finger 84 which is substantially U-shaped, being comprised of sides 85 and a web 87. A pin 88 connects the sides 85 of the finger 84 near their upper extremity and extends into engagement with a guide slot 22 in the right plate of the receiver. The finger is adapted to en age a strip or tape S of sheet material carrying a plurality of centrally controlling disposed charges C and having a rim 83 of material around each and advance the tape, the distance corresponding to the spacing between successive charges each time the trigger is fully depressed, the spring leg 64 yielding to permit the trigger to move the finger the full amount.

Positioned between the sides of the feed finger is a sear 89 of channel material, one extremity of which is apertured to receive the post 82 for pivotal mounting of the sear on the post. The end portion of the sear comprises a substantially narrow finger 89' and a notch 92 is formed where the finger and the body portions meet which is adapted to be engaged by the pin 81 of the actuating lever 75. Depression of the trigger rotates the actuating lever about its pivot post 79 through engagement of the notch 92 and pin 81, until the sear finger engages the post 80 sufficiently to lift the sear notch from engagement with the post 81 and thus release the actuating lever.

A tension spring 94 has an end attached to the post 82 and its other end attached to the extremity of the shorter leg of the actuating lever 75. The spring therefore tends to rotate the actuating lever in the opposite direction from that in which it is urged by the sear, and also tends to return the trigger from its depressed position.

Pivotally attached to the upper extremity of the longer leg of the actuating lever 75 is a firing bolt or hammer 96. The bolt is preferably solid and of a metal which is relatively heavy and corrosion proof, such as brass or the like, in order that it may resist corrosion and the force of explosion of the charge through its inertia. In order to guide the bolt a post 98 extends through its forward portion and engages longitudinal slots 99 in the face plates of the receiver. Washers 100 are provided to properly space the bolt from the sides of the receiver. Attached to the upper surface of the bolt is a knife member 102 having a projecting edge portion 103 which is adapted to be received in a notch 104 on the upper surface of the firing block.

A rear sight member 105 is attached to the upper surface of the firing block and a front sight member 105' is attached to the muzzle end of the barrel 25.

A spring member 106 is positioned on posts or the like 107 between the side plates of the receiver and adjacent the rear face of the firing block and is adapted to exert a light pressure on the strip carrying the charge in order to maintain the same in position.

Operation In the operation of the firearm the projectiles are first loaded in the magazine barrel 34 as previously described and a tape carrying spaced explosive charges is positioned in the gun with the upper end between the spring 106 and the rear face of the firing block. To load and fire, the operator then depresses the trigger. Depression of the trigger 50 moves the rod 55 carrying a projectile upwardly into the bore 30 until the bore 56 of the rod is aligned with the bore 24 of the firing block and the barrel 25 attached thereto. Simultaneously the feed finger 84 is moved upwardly and tilted to the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of the post 88 engaging the slot 22 which feeds a charge of the tape into firing position. At the same time the notch 92 in the sear engages the post 81 of the actuating lever which rotates the lever about post 79 and cocks the firing bolt 96 rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5. As the post 82 moves upwardly about the post 53, it reaches a position in which the narrow end portion of the sear engages the post 80, as shown in Fig. 5. Further depression of the trigger to the position shown in phantom in Fig. 5 causes the notch 92 in the sear to be raised out of engagement with the post 81 permitting the actuating lever 75 carrying the bolt 96 to be rotated under the impulse of the spring 94. The bolt is thus moved to the firing position shown in Fig. 6 at which its central portion 96' enters the enlarged portion 27 of the bore 26 and compresses the charge carried by the tape against the firing anvil 28 to explode the charge. The explosive force 8 is directed forwardly into the bore 27 around the sides of the anvil, the rim 83 of the tape acting as a gasket between the rim 96' of the bolt and the firing block, to expel the projectile from the rod into the barrel and out of the gun. At the instant that the charge is exploded the aperture 27 is sealed at the rear extremity of the firing block by means of the engagement of the firing bolt therewith. After the shot has been fired and the trigger released, it is returned to its previous position by the spring 94, thus moving all the parts back to their previous position and ready for the next round to be fired.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 9 and 10, a modified form of firing bolt 110 is shown which includes a firing bolt pin, or, more simply, firing pin 111. The firing bolt pin has spaced fasteners or pins 112 and 113 extending transversely therethrough near its forward portion, the pin 112 rigidly securing a collar 114 to the firing bolt pin 111 and the pin 113 extending into longitudinal slots 115 on either side of a collar 116. The forward extremity of the collar 116 is bevelled at 118 to provide the edges 119 at the forward extremity of the collar 116. Encircling the firing bolt pin 111 and separating the collars 114 and 116 is a resilient collar member 117.

The firing bolt pin 111 has extending through it and through elongated slots, not shown, of the collar 116 a guide pin 120 similar to the guide pin 98 shown in Fig. 7 and having roller bearings, not shown, of the same type. Fig. 9 illustrates the firing bolt pin in normal position and Fig. 10 in the firing position. The firing bolt moves forward on its firing stroke until the edge 119 of the collar 116 contacts the firing tape against the rear face of the firing bolt to seal the firing block from the rear. In this modification, the collar 116 is larger than the enlarged portion 27 of the bore 24 of the firing block. The momentum of the firing bolt pin 111 moves the same through the bore of the collar 116 until it contacts the explosive charge in the tape adjacent the firing block anvil as shown in Fig. 10, compressing the resilient member 117, and firing the charge. Since the firing bolt pin does not need to enter the bore 24 of the firing block to etfect a seal, the anvil has its external face in substantially the plane of the rear face of the firing block. After the firing block pin reaches the extreme forward position of its travel the resilient member 117 retracts gre firing block pin to its previous position as shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate a further modification of a firing bolt 122 which includes a firing bolt hammer 123 to which the actuating lever 75 is attached (not shown). Positioned in an axial recess 124 at the forward portion of the firing bolt hammer 123 is a firing bolt pin 125 which is secured in the recess 124 by a pin 126. The firing bolt pin 125 consists of a shaft 127 having an enlarged portion or head 128 at its forward extremity. Mounted on the shaft 127 is a collar 129 having a bore 130 for the shaft 127 with an enlarged portion 131 for the head 128. The forward extremity of the collar 129 is bevelled at 132 to provide the edge 133. Lateral extensions 134 are provided on either side of the collar 129 for engagement with the guide slots 99 in the face plates of the receiver. A compression spring 136 is mounted on the shaft 125 and urges the firing bolt hammer 123 and the collar 129 apart. The normal position of the firing bolt is shown in Figs. 11 and 13, the head 128 of the firing bolt pin 125 being retracted. In operation, actuation of the lever 75 by means of the spring 94 moves the firing bolt forwardly until the edge 133 of the collar 129 contacts the tape adjacent the rear face of the firing block. The inertia of the firing bolt hammer moves the firing bolt pin 125 forwardly until the head 128 compresses the charge against the firing anvil. When the firing bolt hammer and the attached firing bolt pin have reached their extreme forward position the spring 137 being under compression at this point will retract the parts to their former positions.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A firearm comprising a barrel, a firing block attached to the barrel, a receiver attached to and housing the firing block and having a grip, the firing block having a first bore extending transversely therethrough and in communication with the barrel, a magazine attached to the firing block and having a loading aperture, the firing block having a second bore communicating with the magazine and a third bore extending transversely of and communicating with said first and said second bores, a loading rod adapted to extend into the third bore and having a transverse bore adapted in one position to communicate with the bore of the firing block in communication with the magazine and in another position to communicate with the bore of the firing block in communication with the barrel, means in the magazine for urging one or more projectiles therein toward the rod, a firing anvil positioned transversely of said first bore and adjacent the rear of said bore; trigger mechanism mounted within the receiver, said trigger mechanism comprising a trigger mounted in the receiver, means for engaging the trigger with the loading rod whereby movement of the trigger may reciprocate the rod, an actuating lever mounted near the extremity of the grip of the receiver having a lower portion extending toward the rear of the receiver, a tension spring attached to said portion and to the trigger, a firing bolt attached to an upper portion of the actuating lever and adapted to engage the firing anvil when in one position, means for guiding and limiting the movement of the firing bolt, a sear attached to the trigger and having means adapted to engage the actuating lever when in one position and for disengaging the actuating lever when in another position in such manner that depression of the trigger causes the sear to engage the actuating lever so that continued depression rotates the actuating lever, its upper portion carrying the firing bolt moving toward the rear of the receiver until the sear contacts the disengaging means on the actuating lever, the bolt being in its rearmost position, permitting the actuating lever and bolt to move forward under the action of the tension spring, means for guiding a strip of charge carrying tape across the rear extremity of the first bore in the firing block, and means for advancing the strip of charge carrying tape along the guiding means and adjacent the firing anvil as the trigger is depressed.

2. In a separate loading firearm, a barrel, a magazine for projectiles, a firing block having a first bore communicating with the barrel, an anvil positioned transversely of said bore and adjacent the rear extremity thereof, the firing block having a second bore communicating with the magazine for projectiles and a third bore communicating with said first and said second bores, means for receiving a projectile from the magazine for projectiles and moving it through said third bore into said first bore, means for feeding an explosive charge to a position adjacent to and overlying the anvil, a firing bolt having a portion of reduced size at its forward extremity for snug reception in the first bore, means for retracting said bolt and for urging it into sudden engagement with said bore and against said anvil, and a trigger for actuating all of said means, whereby actuation of said trigger may load and fire said firearm.

3. In a separate loading firearm having a barrel, a magazine for projectiles, a firing block having a bore communicating with the barrel, an anvil positioned transversely of the bore and partially covering it adjacent its rear extremity, and a firing bolt of larger diameter than the bore and having a narrow rim portion at its forward extremity, a firing pin slideably mounted within the firing bolt, means for positioning the projectile in the bore, means for positioning sheet means carrying a central explosive charge adjacent the anvil, means for bringing the firing bolt into sudden engagement with the rear face of the firing block and aligned with the bore, and means for actuating all of said means simultaneously, whereby the rim of the bolt may engage the material surrounding the charge, and the firing pin strike the charge and compress it against the anvil to explode the same, the exposive force moving past the anvil to the projectile to impel the same out of the barrel, the rim portion of the firing bolt preventing leakage of the explosive through the rear of the bore.

4. In a separate loading firearm having a barrel, :1 magazine for projectiles, a firing block having a bore communicating with the barrel, an anvil positioned transversely of the bore and partially covering it adjacent its rear extremity, and a firing bolt of larger diameter than the bore and having a narrow rim portion at its forward extremity, a firing pin slideably mounted within the firing bolt, means for positioning the projectile in the bore, means for positioning said means carrying a central explosive charge adjacent the anvil, means for bringing the firing bolt into engagement with the rear face of the firing block and aligned with the bore, and means for actuating all of said means simultaneously, whereby the rim of the firing bolt may engage the material surrounding the charge, and the firing pin strike the charge and compress it against the anvil to explode the same, the explosive force moving past the anvil to the projectile to impel the some out of the barrel, the rim portion of the firing bolt preventing leakage of the explosive through the rear of the bore.

5. A firearm comprising a barrel, a firing block attached to the barrel, a receiver housing the firing block and having a grip, a projectile magazine communicating with the firing block, a loading rod for moving projectiles from the magazine to the firing block in position to be fired through the barrel, the firing block having a first bore extending transversely therethrough in communication with the barrel, the firing block having a second bore communicating with the magazine and a third bore extending transversely of and communicating with said first and said second bores, the loading rod moving into the third bore and having a transverse bore extending therethrough, the forward end having a diameter slightly greater than that of the first bore, the transverse bore of the rod in one position communicating with the bore oi the firing block in communication with the magazine, and in another position communicating with the bore of the firing block in communication with the barrel in order to position a projectile in said transverse bore, a firing anvil positioned at the rear of the barrel and pro viding a seat for a charge in communication with the barrel, trigger mechanism mounted Within the receiver, a firing bolt movably mounted to engage the firing anvil. means within the receiver connected with the trigger mechanism for simultaneously moving the loading rod, a charge carrying tape, and the firing bolt in order to position a projectile and a charge in firing position and the firing bolt in retracted position, and means for forcibly bringing the firing bolt from retracted position into contact with the charge to explode it and expel the projectile as the trigger mechanism is actuated.

firearm comprising a barrel, a firing block attached to the barrel, a receiver housing the firing block and having a grip, a projectile magazine communicating with the firing block, a loading rod for moving projectiles from the magazine to the firing block in position to be fired through the barrel, a firing anvil positioned at the rear of the barrel and providing a seat for a charge in communication with the barrel, trigger mechanism mounted within the receiver, the trigger mechanism including a trigger pivotally mounted in the receiver by means of a post extending through the forward portion of said trigger, a coil spring having a long and short arm positioned on said post within the confines of said trigger, the short arm of the spring bearing against the forward portion of said trigger, and the long arm engaging the lower portion of the rod, a firing bolt movably mounted to engage the firing anvil, means within the receiver connected with the trigger mechanism for simultaneously moving the loading rod, a charge carrying tape, and the firing bolt in order to position a projectile and a charge in firing position and the firing bolt in retracted position, and means for forcibly bringing the firing bolt from retracted position into contact with the charge to explode it and expel the projectile as the trigger mechanism is actuated.

7. A firearm comprising a barrel, a firing block attached to the barrel, a receiver housing the firing block and having a grip, a projectile magazine communicating with the firing block, a loading rod for moving projectiles from the magazine to the firing block in position to be fired through the barrel, a firing anvil positioned at the rear of the barrel and providing a seat for a charge in communication with the barrel, trigger mechanism mounted Within the receiver, the trigger mechanism including an L-shaped bolt actuating lever pivotally mounted at the intersection of its long and its short arms near the extremity of the grip of the receiver, and a tension spring attached to the extremity of the short arm and to the trigger, a firing bolt movably mounted to engage the firing anvil, means within the receiver connected with the trigger mechanism for simultaneously moving the loading rod, a charge carrying tape, and the firing bolt in order to position a projectile and a charge in firing position and the firing bolt in retracted position, and means for forcibly bringing the firing bolt from retracted position into contact with the charge to explode it and expel the projectile as the trigger mechanism is actuated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,965 Starr Mar. 16, 1875 624,543 Rightrnyer May 9, 1879 629,820 Sanders Aug. 1, 1899 1,209,974 Kerwin Dec. 26, 1916 1,269,854 Pottier June 18, 1918 2,037,313 Duncanson Apr. 14, 1936 

